Tension has been building at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics following a series of politically charged incidents involving Ukrainian athletes and their rivals from Russia and Belarus.
The most recent controversy centres on Ukrainian para biathlete Alexandra Kononova, who was asked to remove earrings bearing the words “Stop War” before stepping onto the podium following her individual race. According to the Ukrainian National Paralympic Committee, an IPC representative forced the athlete to take them off before the ceremony could proceed.
IPC spokesperson Craig Spence confirmed the incident but defended the organisation’s actions, explaining that a staff member noticed the earrings as Kononova approached the podium and recognised they would likely conflict with the organisation’s rules on demonstrations, which had been communicated to all national committees before the Games began. Spence added that the matter was considered closed once resolved.
The episode has added fuel to wider accusations from Ukraine that the Paralympic movement is applying systematic pressure on its delegation, including the removal of a flag, interrupted meetings, and restrictions on athlete expression at podium ceremonies. Following a review, organisers concluded that no wrongdoing had taken place.
Separately, German silver medallist Linn Kazmaier and her guide Florian Baumann drew attention during a medal ceremony when they turned their backs as the Russian national anthem played following a gold medal win by Russian skier Anastasiia Bagiian. The pair also stepped away from official photographs and declined an invitation for a group photo. Speaking afterwards, Kazmaier said the gesture was intended as a show of solidarity with Ukrainian athletes, while Baumann noted the pair had formed close bonds with Ukrainian competitors at the Beijing Games, just as Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
It marks the first time since 2014 that Russian and Belarusian athletes have competed at the Winter Paralympics under their own flags, a decision that continues to draw strong reactions from across the sporting world.
The controversies at Milano Cortina follow a similar incident at the recent Winter Olympics, where Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified after refusing to remove a helmet featuring images of 24 Ukrainian athletes killed during the ongoing war.
Competition at Milano Cortina continues until Sunday. China currently leads the overall medal table with 10 golds and 27 medals in total, with the United States and Austria occupying second and third place respectively.
